The COTTAGE GROVE
entinel
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Sunny High of 70 and a low of 48
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Number 37 • 135 years
Former Village Green property redevelopment
JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel
A redevelopment project that began in 2023 at the property that was once the site of the Village Green Resort on Row River Road in Cottage Grove appears to be paused. “The weed are up really
high, to me that indicates not much is happening. I would like to know more about what their plans are,” Cottage Grove City Councilor Dana Merryday said when looking at the former Village Green Resort property at the entrance of the city. Pine Springs, LLC owner
and the property applicant, Colin Kelley told The Sentinel that the project is moving forward. “Everything is moving according to our plan. It may be slow for other people that want to see everything open up,” he said. “We are doing everything that we can to keep the project
moving forward. We are super excited about it. There should be no concern by any members of the community. We are still moving 100% with the project.” Kelley said much of the
VILLAGE GREEN cont. on page 7
[ ] “There should be no concern by any members of the community. We are still moving 100% with the project.” Colin Kelley, Pine Springs LLC owner
Care packages need community support to send abroad
[ ] “Our biggest challenge with the project is getting names of active-duty men and women to send them to.” Carolin Pettit
CINDY WEELDREYER
Cottage Grove Sentinel
For military men and women serving overseas, the holidays can be difficult being so far away from family and friends. One bright spot for them every year is a small surprise from back home – a care package sent with goodies and good wish-
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es from the members of Cottage Grove’s Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 3473. The project started 15 years ago, and its continued success is dependent upon donations from the community and obtaining the names of specific members of the Armed Forces serving abroad to receive them. The feedback has always been positive. Carolin Pettit is proud of this VFW Auxiliary project and looks forward to gathering with other
CAR PACKAGE cont. on page 4
School board takes no action on complaints against unnamed board member CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
TODAY’S EDITION
The South Lane School Board met in a nearly 90-minute-long non-public session with its attorney to “discuss the legal rights and duties of a public body related to current or pending litigation and to consider two complaints brought against a public officer.” The last two items of business on the school board’s regular Sept. 9 agenda included a discussion and decision about a formal complaint received in June and two informal complaints received in August. The Sentinel previously reported in its June 19 issue that, after meeting in executive session and based on the advice of the school district’s attorney, Lifestyles — 3 Obituaries — 4 Death Notice — 4
“For transparency, we should simply accept the report and move on. It shows we’re not trying to hide anything.”
Jeff Gowing, SLSD School Board member
the board voted to open a formal third-party investigation into the formal complaint. After that meeting, Board Member Duane Taddei said, while he believes the board should not ignore public complaints, it is fiscally prudent with the 2024-25 budget challenges to first explore mediation prior to expending limited funds for a third-party investigation. On a 5-2 vote, the majority voted to conduct a formal investigation.
Opinion — 5 Classifieds — 6 Sports — 8
JUNE COMPLAINT DISCUSSION AND ACTION At the Sept 9 meeting, Board Member Sherry Duerst-Higgins stated for the record the board received a report in executive session on the investigation of the June complaint that concluded the allegations were unfounded. She moved to take no action with Board Member Tammy Hodgkin-
son seconding the motion. While discussing the motion, Board Chair Taylor Wilhour said what he read stated that in the two main areas investigated, one was unfounded and the other was partially founded. Taddei said that was not the way he read the report and Duerst-Higgins agreed. Taddei said he wanted to table the motion
until the board received information on the cost of the formal investigation. “In my opinion, it’s taxpayer dollars that were spent to do an investigation and I think the public has a right to know what the report said,” Taddei said. He believes the district can’t afford to hire an investigator for each board complaint and didn’t think
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the district should set that precedent. Hodgkinson responded the board can also set a precedence that (its members) can be more careful with their own behavior. Taddei agreed and said, “I think this is an opportunity for us all to learn from
SCHOOL BOARD cont. on page 7